The field of ecology is poised to substantially contribute to the creation of a socially and environmentally equitable urban future. To realize this contribution, the field of ecology must create strategies that ensure inclusion of underrepresented minorities so that a broad array of experiences and ideas collectively address challenges inherent to a sustainable urban future. Despite efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented racial minorities (URM) in the sciences, graduation rates have only slightly increased over the last several decades. While research mentoring programs at the
The Farrell Fellows Summer Internship program consists of teen educators leading science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities for children at libraries and park locations across Chicago. The goal of this study was to learn more about the families who attend the sessions and to also look for evidence of learning and how that may be related to the moods and attitudes of the teen educators. Data was collected through observations of the sessions, pre- and post-session surveys of 26 teen educators, and 90 surveys of the parents of participating children. Field notes were coded using
This paper describes innovative ways of bringing mathematical learning into community venues in rural settings. We selected highly engaging mathematical activities, adapted them for middle school youth and their families, and brought them to the “locavore” contexts of Farmers Markets and community agricultural fairs. “STEM Guides”—community people hired to connect youth with local STEM resources—set up math-oriented booths at local Farmers Markets and fairs. They enlisted visitors in weighing produce, comparing weights of typical fruits/vegetables to record-weighing produce, and composing
We explored the potential of science to facilitate social inclusion with teenagers who had interrupted their studies before the terms set for compulsory education. The project was carried out from 2014 to 2018 within SISSA (International School for Advanced Studies), a scientific and higher education institution in physics, mathematics and neurosciences, and was focused on the production of video games using Scratch. The outcomes are encouraging: through active engagement, the participants have succeeded in completing complex projects, taking responsibilities and interacting with people
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Simona CerratoFrancesca RizzatoLucia TealdiElena Canel
The summative evaluation documents and articulates what SCIENCES has improved or changed, and in what ways. The final design of the summative evaluation was based on findings from the front-end and formative evaluations, including using participatory evaluation techniques to engage community members in discussing their experience with the programs and assessment of community needs and assets at the close of the project.
The goal of the summative evaluation was to address discrete program impacts in the context of the project, as well as the cross-program impact of providing a thematically
A Teen Science Café is an out-of-school program that brings together teens and science professionals to engage in discussion and activities related to the scientist’s work. The Cafés are highly interactive, incorporating hands-on activities and discussion with scientists; each is co-organized by an adult and a group of Teen Leaders. The model was developed and refined in several different locations in New Mexico between 2008 and 2010.
This pilot study took advantage of the 10-year history of Café Sci NM, and sought to answer the question: What are the long-term influences of participation
A Teen Science Café is an out-of-school program in which teens and STEM experts engage in conversation and activities to explore a topic related to the STEM professional’s expertise. Teen Science Cafés are independently run and organized at more than 100 sites nationwide – from museums to libraries to aquariums. Prior evaluation of the Teen Science Café model has demonstrated a range of impacts achieved with youth participants, but relatively little research has focused on the experience of the scientist-presenters.
This report presents findings of a sequential mixed-methods study that
The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact of Comics & Science workshops where forty-one teenagers (designated Trainee Science Comic Authors [TSCAs]) are asked to create a one-page comic strip based on a scientific presentation given by a PhD student. Instrumental genesis is chosen as the conceptual framework to characterize the interplay between the specific characteristics of a comic and the pieces of scientific knowledge to be translated. Six workshops were conducted and analyzed. The results show that the TSCAs followed the codes that are specific to the comic strip medium and took
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Cecile de HossonLaurence BordenavePierre-Laurent DauresNicolas DecampChristophe HacheJulie HoroksNassima GuediriEirini Matalliotaki
One way to motivate young people from diverse backgrounds to pursue engineering careers is to enlist them as educators who can help the general public understand how engineers help respond to the challenges of everyday life. The New York Hall of Science, which serves a large and diverse audience, is an ideal setting for testing the promise of this strategy. Youth educators and curators of public programs at the Hall of Science will mentor two groups of high school- and early college-aged youth, who will contribute to the design and facilitation of engineering-focused events and activities for museum visitors. They will work together to develop engineering programming for the public that emphasizes the cultural and interpersonal dimensions of engineering practices. This group of young people will be recruited from the Hall of Science's more than 100 Explainers, a very diverse group of young people who work part-time at the Hall of Science and engage with visitors as they explore the museum. Researchers will track participants' experiences and document their impact on museum visitors' perceptions of engineering. The expectation is that creating and delivering these experiences for visitors will have a positive impact on the youth participants' understanding of the engineering disciplines, and on visitors' perceptions of engineering and its relationship to everyday life.
The project will use observations, interviews, journaling, and the Engineering Professional Skills Assessment to explore youth experience, and visitor exit surveys and interviews to probe visitor perceptions. Both the skills assessment and visitor surveys are NSF-funded instruments. Data coding will be grounded in the engineering habits of mind defined by the National Research Council's Committee on Understanding and Improving K-12 Engineering Education in the United States (2009). The project will capture evidence regarding which habits of mind the Fellows are most frequently engaged with. The effort will also explore how interactions with peers (as colleagues), with experts (as learners, such as with Designers in Residence) and with visitors (as teachers and leaders) may be associated with different combinations of the habits of mind over the course of the project. Visitor data and assessment data will allow the project to begin to make analytic connections between participating young people's increased understanding of culturally-situated engineering challenges, and their impact on the experiences of museum visitors who engage with engineering programming at the Hall of Science.
Hopa Mountain, working in partnership with Montana State University (MSU), will develop innovative and coordinated opportunities for Montana youth to strengthen their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills and knowledge while preparing them for higher education and careers in health sciences. The overall project goal of HealthMakers is to support rural and tribal youth’s interest and exposure to careers in the sciences while giving them the skills and resources to play leadership roles in increasing healthy family practices in their homes and communities. HealthMakers will achieve meaningful impacts annually through four strategies: (1) Health-focused college preparation programs for 50 teens; (2) Summer academic enrichment programs for 20 teens; (3) Community-based science literacy events for 2,000 children and their families, and (4) Professional development for educators, community members, and parents. Hopa Mountain and MSU will engage youth, educators, community leaders, and parents in training opportunities through HealthMakers. Participants will take part in community-based workshops, college tours, and summer institutes led by MSU faculty, healthcare professionals, Hopa Mountain staff, and their peers. Through these strategic aims, HealthMakers will help create a stronger workforce and inspire students to pursue careers in the sciences.
PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE:
HealthMakers will support the development of health-related outreach and college preparation programs and training resources to create a better-informed workforce for Montana and inspire students to pursue careers in the sciences. These strategic aims and deliverables benefiting rural and tribal families and children, will help create a stronger workforce and inspire students to pursue careers in the sciences. Working together, Hopa Mountain and Montana State University will support rural and tribal youth’s interest and exposure to careers in the health sciences while giving them the skills and resources to play leadership roles in increasing healthy family practices in their communities.
Underrepresented minorities (URMs) represent 33% of the US college age population and this will continue to increase (1). In contrast, only 26% of college students are URMs. In the area of Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), only 15% of college students completing a STEM major are URMs (2). While there have been gains in the percent of Hispanic and Black/African Americans pursuing college degrees, the number of Native American college students remains alarmingly low. In 2013, Native Americans represented only 1% of entering college students and less than 50% finished their degree. Moreover, 1% of students pursuing advanced degrees in STEM-related fields are Native American/Alaska Native. With regards to high school graduation rates, the percent of Native American/Alaska Native students completing high school has decreased with only 51% of students completing high school in 2010 compared to 62 % and 68% for Black and Latino students respectively. While identifying ways to retain students from all underrepresented groups is important, developing programs targeting Native American students is crucial. In collaboration with the Hopi community, a three-week summer course for Native American high school students at Harvard was initiated in 2001. Within three years, the program expanded to include three additional Native American communities. 225 students participated in the program over a 10-year period; and 98% of those responding to the evaluation completed high school or obtained a GED and 98% entered two or four year colleges including 6 students who entered Harvard. This program was reinitiated in 2015 and we plan to build on the existing structure and content of this successful program. Specifically, in collaboration with two Native American communities, the goal of the program is 1) to increase participants’ knowledge of STEM disciplines and their relevance to issues in participants’ communities via a three week case-based summer course for Native American high school students; 2) to help enhance secondary school STEM education in Native American communities by providing opportunities for curriculum development and classroom enhancement for secondary school teachers in the participating Native American communities; and 3) to familiarize students with the college experience and application process and enhance their readiness for college through workshops, college courses and internships. Through these activities we hope to 1) increase the number of Native American students completing high school; 2) increase the number of Native American students applying and being accepted to college; 3) increase the number of Native American students pursuing STEM degrees and careers; 4) increase the perception among Native American students that attending and Ivy plus institution is attainable; 5) increase the feeling of empowerment that they can help their community by pursuing advanced degrees in STEM.
PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE:
This proposal supports a summer program for high school students and teachers from Native American communities. The program goals are to encourage students to complete high school and prepare them for college and to also consider degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math.
The goals of this proposal are: 1) to provide opportunities for underrepresented students to consider careers in basic or clinical research by exciting them through an educational Citizen Science research project; 2) to provide teachers with professional development in science content and teaching skills using research projects as the infrastructure; and 3) to improve the environments and behaviors in early childcare and education settings related to healthy lifestyles across the state through HSTA students Citizen Science projects. The project will complement or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs. It will encourage interactive partnerships between biomedical and clinical researchers,in-service teachers and early childcare and education facilities to prevent obesity.
Specific Aim I is the Biomedical Summer Institute for Teachers led by university faculty. This component is a one week university based component. The focus is to enhance teacher knowledge of biomedical characteristics and problems associated with childhood obesity, simple statistics, ethics and HIPAA compliance, and the principles of Citizen Science using Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR). The teachers, together with the university faculty and staff, will develop the curriculum and activities for Specific Aim II.
Specific Aim II is the Biomedical Summer Institute for Students, led by HSTA teachers guided by university faculty. This experience will expose 11th grade HSTA students to the biomedical characteristics and problems associated with obesity with a focus on early childhood. Students will be trained on Key 2 a Healthy Start, which aims to improve nutrition and physical activity best practices, policies and environments in West Virginia’s early child care and education programs. The students will develop a meaningful project related to childhood obesity and an aspect of its prevention so that the summer institute bridges seamlessly into Specific Aim III.
Specific Aim III is the Community Based After School Club Experiences. The students and teachers from the summer experience will lead additional interested 9th–12th grade students in their clubs to examine their communities and to engage community members in conducting public health intervention research in topics surrounding childhood obesity prevention through Citizen Science. Students and teachers will work collaboratively with the Key 2 a Healthy Start team on community projects that will be focused on providing on-going technical assistance that will ultimately move the early childcare settings towards achieving best practices related to nutrition and physical activity in young children.